Relationship and Behaviour Policy

Introduction

We are committed to ensuring that all individuals within the Forest Hill community are able to work and learn in an environment which is safe, favourable to effective learning and where everyone is valued and respected, allowing all to be their best at all times.

Behaviour management at Forest Hill is centred on promoting and reinforcing positive behaviour through praise, recognition and encouragement whilst discouraging inappropriate behaviour through the use of Restorative Approaches and the use of a variety of suitable sanctions. Good teaching depends on developing and managing relationships through articulating clear expectations, thorough lesson planning and effective feedback, all of which are critical factors in successful classroom management.All staff are expected to have a good knowledge of their students, especially their individual learning, social and emotional needs.Lessons should be appropriately differentiated to enable all students to access and engage with the learning.

Achieving good relationships in school depends on every member of staff understanding:that adults need to model the behaviour they wish to see from students, that good behaviour needs to be taught as much as academic content, that lapses in behaviour can be a learning opportunity for students to develop their emotional literacy and that positive relationships are at the heart of learning.We are a restorative school and all staff are expected to use restorative process as a starting point for resolving issues.

This policy reflects the school’s well-established and embedded practice of adopting Restorative Approaches as the basis for managing relationships in school.It has been agreed by staff and the Full Governing Body and is reviewed periodically to ensure best practice.This review will take account of legislative changes since the last review and changes in the school’s practice.

The policy recognises current legislation, and ensures that all staff are clear about the framework within which we are operating, so that there will be consistency across the school. Within the guidance, there are clear expectations for students, parents, Headteachers, teachers and governors.

The new guidance outlines the powers to discipline, the power to search, the use of reasonable force and the power of the Headteacher to discipline beyond the school gates. All actions must be consistent with safeguarding procedures, and Forest Hill’s Whole School Policy on Safeguarding, along with the various guidance documents on the school’s intranet, should always be followed.

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance for staff and governors as to their powers, and also to give parents and students a clear sense of the school’s practice relating to good behaviour.The policy is not an exhaustive list of sanctions and should be applied using reasonable understanding and common sense.The policy is available to parents and students via the school website.

The policy contains clear guidance for staff, students and parents/carers.

To download a full copy of our current relationship and behaviour policy click here